Question
HELLO

I'VE BEEN SCANNING THE INTERNET SEEKING HELP REGARDING MY ARTESIAN WELL AND STUMBLED ACROSS YOUR WEBSITE. I WAS HOPING YOU COULD GIVE ME YOUR OPINION ON A PROBLEM I'M HAVING. I JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE IN BRIDEWATER, MASS WITH AN ARTESIAN WELL, 165FT DEEP, THAT IS USED FOR UNDERGROUND POP-UP ROTOR HEAD LAWN SPRINKLING. IT WAS INSTALLED IN 1996 BY PRIOR OWNER, WHICH WAS AN ELDERLY WOMAN ONLY WHO SAID IT WORKED FINE WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS ALIVE BUT THAT SHE HADN'T USED IT SINCE HE PASSED AWAY 1 YEAR PRIOR. IT IS ONLY 4 ZONES AND WAS RUNNING OK WHEN WE WENT TO USE IT, BUT NEVER FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. THE SYSTEM SHUTS ITSELF DOWN, SOMETIMES AFTER A COUPLE DAYS OF ONLY 5-10  MINUTES/ZONE 2X/DAY AND MOST RECENTLY AFTER JUST A FEW MINUTES OF RUNNING IT BECAUSE WE FINALLY FOUND OUT THE FILTER GETS CLOGGED WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE GRAY CLAY SHUTTING SYSTEM DOWN, I MEAN REALLY GETS CAKED AND CLOGGED. I'VE BEEN THROUGH AT LEAST 10 FILTERS IN 6-8 WKS. I'M USING A MESH FILTER AND HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT GRADE MESHES, BUT WHATEVER IT IS THAT MY PUMP IS SUCKING UP IS OVERWHELMING ANY FILTER I'VE TRIED. I HAD THE PUMP RAISED 9 FEET AS WELL TO TRY AND GET IT OUT OF ANY MUCK IT MAY HAVE BEEN LYING IN. THE WATER IS THICK, MILKY AND GRAY AND IT DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE CLAY. THE CONTAINER THE FILTER IS IN IS FULL OF THIS AS WELL WHEN I CHANGE THE FILTER. LOOKS LIKE GRAY PEA SOUP. ANY THOUGHTS? I'D BE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THROUGH 2 IRRIGATION COS, A COUPLE LANDSCAPERS AND A DRILL GUY THAT THREW HIS HANDS UP IN AIR AND DIDN'T SEEM TO KNOW ANYTHING OR HAVE ANY IDEAS. SAID IT ISN'T THE WELL, BUT WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE? ALL ABOVE GROUND CONTROLS ARE WORKING; PRESSURE TANK, SWITCH, CONTROLLER AND I'VE PUT ALL NEW VALVES AND SPRAY HEAD NOZZLES IN. I'M STUMPED, AGGREVATED AND DESPERATE AT THIS POINT. CAN YOU HELP?

THANK YOU.

JIM CALLOW      
180 NORTH STREET
BRIDGEWATER, MA 02324
[email protected]
(508) 697-6276
FAX 877-786-5584  
  

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Answer
It has to be some contamination in the well.  I am not that familiar with artesian wells, but I know that if you consistantly suck up debris, there is something in there that is not good.  I would try consulting with a well service person rather than a landscaper.  Maybe even the company who installed the well.  They may have run into this problem before.